Lewis Henry Lavenu

Graeme Skinner (University of Sydney),
"Lewis Henry Lavenu",
Australharmony (an online resource toward the history of music and musicians in colonial and early Federation Australia):
http://sydney.edu.au/paradisec/australharmony/lavenu-lewis-henry.php; accessed 19 March 2018

Son of the London music seller and publisher,
Lewis Augustus Lavenu (c.1867-1818), and his second wife Eliza. After
Lavenu senior's death, Eliza went into partnership with the violinist
Nicolas Mori (1796-1839), whom she married in 1826. Born well before
this marriage, their eldest son, the composer Frank Mori (1820-1873) was
thus Lewis Henry's stepbrother. The family business traded as "Mori &
Lavenu" until Lewis Henry sold his interest in it to his partner Robert
Hosdon in May 1844. Lavenu, brought up in music by his stepfather,
studied at the Royal Academy of Music under Bochsa, and later with
Charles Lucas, George
Alexander Macfarren, and Cipriani Potter
in composition, cello, and piano.

Between August 1840 and January 1841 Lavenu (assisted by his half-brother Frank) managed Liszt's tours of the
British Isles. Lavenu married Julia Blossett, daughter of Col.
John Blossett,
head of the British expedition to assist Simon Bolivar in the war of
independence in Venezuela. One of his daughters was the actress
Ethel Lavenu
(1842-1917), who was mother of the silent screen actor
Tyrone Power, Sr., and grandmother of the Hollywood film star
Tyrone Power.

In November 1846, Lavenu's Loretta; a tale of Seville, a grand opera in
three parts with libretto by Alfred Bunn, premiered at Drury Lane
Theatre, with Anna Bishop as Loretta. After falling into insolvency in
1848, Lavenu became the conductor of the Irish singer Catherine Hayes,
first in Britain, briefly in the United States (1851-53), and finally Australia.

A grand opera, called Loretta, a Tale of Seville, was brought out at this theatre last night.
It is the first operatic production of Mr. Lavenu, the son-in-law of the late M. Mori, with whom he was for a while in parmership in Bond-street.
Acting upon the advice of his celebrated relative, he became a pupil of the Royal Academy of Music, where he studied the pianoforte,
the violoncello, and composition, principally under the guidance of Bochsa, in each of which acquirements he made considerable proficiency.
When Mori died Mr. Lavenu left the Academy, and confined himself almost exclusively to the management of the business in Bond-street,
speculating, it will be remembered, to a large extent, in the autumn journeyings of foreign artists in the provinces.
For some years past he has been living in retirement, and beyond publishing a few songs of but trifling importance
has made little or no sign in the musical world. His leisure, however, seems to have been consumed in the revival of his musical studies,
and we have now the first fruit thereof in the opera which Mr. Bunn has put into representation with all those decorative adjuncts
that allure and recommend.

Before entering into any details, we may at once remark that the reception of the opera was immensely euthusia[stic],
although its general execution was far from perfect - suggesting once, again, regret that in this, as in everything else of the same kind,
the necessity for hasty preparation is so urgent. We have been informed that the opera was scarcely finished by the composer a week ago;
consequently, the copying, the learning, and the rehearsing have all been matters of extreme and inconvenient hurry.
The wonder is, that works of this magnitude, brought out under such great disadvantages, should go so smoothly as they do.
Our English executants, however, are of singular expertness in these exigencies, and accomplish so much in a limited time
as to greatly diminish the chances of failure; and in all these exercises of rapid acquirement - instructed no doubt by experience -
they perform feats that astonish and confound foreigners. But though their ability in this way is thus frequently tested,
it is almost a pity that it exists. The concerted pieces of last night, of which the opera contains an unusual number,
would have told infinitely better had they been more closely and simultaneously developed.
It is obvious that such large vocal, orchestral, and histrionic complications - involving the coincident readiness and address
of vast numbers of people - can only be made to "go" with proper nicety by frequent preliminary trial.
This, however, is a sore of long standing; and perhaps, when the necessities of the house are remembered,
should hardly be alluded to; still it is to be lamented that the first night of a new opera is doomed to be scarcely aught
more than a dressed rehearsal - that is, in those critical aggregates to which we have specifically alluded.
The ballads, duets, and trios, &c, which fall into the hands of the principals, generally fare well enough,
and upon these maybe the chief reliance is placed.

The opera opens with the bustle and revelry of a Spanish inn, and the arrival of Philippo (Borrani),
a recruit on his way to join his regiment, accompanied by his old father, and his sister, Loretta (Madame Anna Bishop),
who now prepare to take leave of him. A certain cavalier, Don Carlos (Harrison), breaks in with a party of roystering companions,
and, full of tipsy recklessness, offers an insult to the pretty sister of the recruit, which being fiercely resented by the brother,
leads to a disturbance, and the arrival of the police, in the persons of a troop of alguazils.
Loretta is carried off by the audacious Carlos, and conveyed to his apartment in the palace of Don Henriquez (S. Jones),
whose daughter, Florinda (Miss Poole), he is about to marry; and under the cover of night she becomes the victim of his guilty violence.
In the meanwhile, love of a purer kind has taken possession of the profligate's bosom, and he becomes serious and sentimental.
Taking advantage of the temporary absence of her seducer, whose rank and identity she is ignorant of,
Loretta escapes through a window by means of a sash which she finds in the chamber,
and the perilous process of scaling the balcony is subsequently seen by Carlos in the distance
as he is coldly and uneasily associating with his betrothed wife in the festivities of a ball-room -
with which tableau the first act terminates.

Before the second commences a period of five years is supposed to have elapsed.
The action is transplanted to a village on the banks of the Guadalquiver, where Loretta is living in seclusion
with a child of four years old, the fruit of her unlucky intimacy with the unknown Carlos.
The latter coming into the neighbourhood to celebrate his nuptials with Florinda, unexpectedly encounters her,
and feels all his former sentiments of affection revive. The brother of Loretta also comes,
now promoted to the rank of captain; and Carlos, at first jealous of the tenderness involved in the recognition
of the brother and sister, is led, by the honest impulses of his passion, when he discovers the relationship,
to forget his obligations to Florinda, and offer Loretta his hand.
She instinctively declines; and then the sudden appearance of the child, implying the mysterious infamy of its author,
brings about an exciting dramatic collision. Philippo is furious, Loretta terrified,
and Carlos perplexed; while the soldiers and villagers, ignorant of the cause of the embarrassment,
espouse opposite sides; and, in the language of the libretto, a scene of the "utmost tumult prevails."

In the third act the preparations for the wedding of Carlos and Florinda are going on at Seville,
in the midst of which Philippo, having been told by his sister her tale of sorrow and misfortune,
comes dejected and heart-broken to lay his commission at Carlos's feet. Loretta, who accompanies him,
suddenly recognises the apartment as that to which she was conveyed by her ravisher, and amid violent agitation challenges
Carlos as the author of her misery, establishing the proof of his villany by the production ef a diamond
rosary she had torn from the scarf which enabled her to escape. Overflowing with brotherly wrath Philippo strikes the convicted gallant.
The unfortunate captain is anon condemned to death for assaulting his superior oflicer, and in the last scene is led out to execution,
the prelude to a situation of powerful interest, wherein Loretta, armed with the child,
frenziedly confronts her destroyer and upbraids him for his base and unrelenting cruelty;
at which the better feelings of the cavalier come into play, and he contritely declares his guilt in the face of everybody.
A youth named Ferdinand (King) being at his elbow to take Florinda off his hands, he gladly transfers
himself to Loretta, who - having saved her brother, found a father for her child, secured a husband,
and repaired her honour - naturally enough sings a brisk rondo of triumph and delight.

The music, as we have already hinted, consists of an almost ceaseless current of recitatives, trios, and ensembles.
Its character is light and me!odic, exhibiting facility rather than power; while the voluble clothings of the orchestra denote skilful workmanship,
and a sense of picturesque effect. If there is little absolutely original to excite the surprise, there is much to attract the fancy,
and the opera - provided the second act is shortened, and some of the noise elsewhere abated - is likely to please the public.
The memory is so clogged after the first hearing of a work of this length and copiousness, that it is scarcely able to refer
with clearness to the better points of invention and art which may happen to have been presented,
for with such a profuse abundance of "airy strains" the attention is apt to get jaded and irregular.
We have, however, a distinct remembrance of a clever round for soprano and two basses, "Before this heart, my father;"
a contemplative tenor ballad, "That feeling which exalts the soul;" a trying dramatic duet for soprano and tenor,
"Some hopes there are;" and a soothing and reposeful quartette, marvellously like "Farewell to Lochabar" - all occurring in the first act.
In the second, Loretta's romance, "On ths banks of Guadalquiver," one of the themes of the overture, is a graceful and artless gem,
followed by another long dramatic duet, parts of which are of great merit. In this act there is a trio, "It is not wealth,"
which, though well harmonized, is nevertheless dry and uninteresting; and a sentimental ballad, "Oh, I can well believe."
The notabilities of the third act consist of a romance, "Happy heart," which it is plain will make the music-sellers' fortune;
a delicious morceau d'ensemble, "Do not leave;" a well-conceived dramatic scena "When pale and clouded;" and a charming closing rondo,
"Ah! heart be hushed," for the prima donna. The choruses come in legions. Those of the prettiest burden may be found in the first act;
and let us refer particularly to one, half pastoral and half devotional, "Around us are closing the curtains of night," which,
though simple, is very fascinating. The dramatic choruses of the second act, during the progress of the rustic fete and the evening fair,
are light and fluent; but the short choral passages which precede the last scene, and are combined with the principal dramatic situation,
are, if we remember rightly, the most striking.

We have but small opportunity of doing justice to Madame Anna Bishop, who sang with great sweetness and effect -
acting also with force and ability. Her exquisite voice, always clear and accurate, was of immense value in the concerted pieces.
Her execution of the little romance in the second act, "On the banks of Guadalquiver" was faultlessly chaste, and obtained a loud encore;
but her principal efforts were in the business involved in her discovery of Carlos, and her denunciation of his infamy,
wherein she disclosed a far greater amount of breadth and energy than might have been looked for.
The final air was a superb instance of promptitude in the art of vocal leaping and of sureness during the process.
The applause which overwhelmed her here was tremendous, and she was not only vehemently encored,
but has more bouquets to pick up than she could well carry. Miss Poole was also in grand repute whenever she appeared,
and by her pure and excellent style of singing the romance m the third act, no less than by her frank and unaffected manner,
wrung a double encore, without, we believe, a single voice being lifted up in denial. Mr. Borrani sang as he usually sings -
so also Mr. Jones and Mr. Harrison. The ballads of the last-mentioned individual provoked the usual contests in the score of repetition,
and angry were the struggles before the compliments produced any fruit.

The scenery and decorations betoken Mr. Bunn's liberal hand, and few stage groupings that we have seen surpass
that of the village fair, with its coloured lanthorns and its busy gaiety. The singers were all called for when the curtain fell.
Mr. Lavenu also appeared, led on by Harley, who presented him a bouquet with a crisp and diverting sort of politeness.
Lastly, Mr. Bunn was required; and the audience were once more refreshed with a sight od an obeisance, which, like Taglioni's curtsey,
is inimitable.

OUR readers will learn with
surprise and deep regret that Mr. Lewis Henry Lavenu, the late talented
Conductor of the University Festival, expired yesterday morning, at his
residence, Horbury Terrace, Macquarie-street. He had been ill for some
days, but owing to pressure of business, connected with the University
Festival and the Prince of Wales Theatre, had neglected to take care of
his health, and had even for some time omitted to take food. His illness
was not at first of a dangerous character, and the symptoms - vomiting,
pain, and constipation - yielded to medical treatment, but on Sunday
evening a fit of an epileptic character came on; from excessive pain he
became occasionally delirious, and imagined himself still conducting a
musical force. Yesterday morning, however, he rallied a little, and
about an hour before his death rose from his bed and expressed his
determination to go to rehearsal; shortly afterwards what was considered
a favourable symptom took place, and gave some slight hope; but his
sufferings had been so acute, and his nervous system was so completely
exhausted, that nature succumbed, and he breathed his last about 11
o'clock. Mr. Lavenu's abilities as a musician were of the highest order,
and in the many musical entertainments over which it had been his lot to
preside he was eminently successful; his death will prove a serious loss
to the musical portion of the community, by whom his talents have been
appreciated and acknowledged. At the period of his decease, he was, we
believe, somewhere about 41 or 42 years of age. Mr. Lavenu was the son
of the well-known publisher of music of that name, who formerly resided
in Edward-street, Portman Square, and whose widow was subsequently
married to Mori, the eminent violinist. By Mori the lamented subject of
this notice was at an early age placed in the Royal Academy of Music,
where, under the system, of tuition carried out in that admirable
institution, he soon gave ample evidence of his aptitude and talent for
the divine art. His abilities as a composer were displayed when still a
mere youth, in his opera of Loretta - performed at the St. James's
Theatre with considerable success, and he held diplomas as professor of
violoncello, piano-forte, and for composition. Mr. Lavenu was very
felicitous in his ballad compositions, amongst which "By the banks of
Guadalquiver" and the popular "Molly Asthore" stand preeminent in the
degree of favour with which they have been received by the musical
public. He was the first man who brought Liszt, the great pianist, from
Ratisbon, in Germany; and was at one time engaged by Biel as musical
conductor through the English provinces during the tours of Grisi,
Mario, and others; subsequently he was engaged as musical conductor to
Miss Catherine Hayes, and travelled with her as such during that lady's
professional visits, to the United States, California, Australia, and
India; and we think the justice of our award will scarcely be questioned
when we state that much of that lady's success may be attributed to the
valuable assistance she derived from Mr. Lavenu in all matters connected
with the orchestral department. In that branch of his profession he
undoubtedly ranked very high; his practice as a violoncellist in the
orchestra of the Academy, under Lindley, having no doubt contributed
much to the acquirement of that ready tact and skill which he displayed
in this difficult branch of the musical art. He was a very good pianist,
his skill in that respect being chiefly confined to the unobtrusive but
delicate and difficult duties of an accompanyist. His love of music was
very intense, and his thorough knowledge of all its branches may be
inferred from the fact that he arranged the score and adapted the opera
of Il Trovatore, for a full orchestral representation, from a pianoforte
copy. Up to the time of his illness he was busily engaged in arranging
the operas of Rigoletto, Traviata, and Ernani; the score of the last
named opera having been fully completed by him for representation. It is
a somewhat singular fact that many great musicians have, shortly before
death, composed those mournful strains with which their departure from
this world is associated; such as Mozart's "Requiem", Weber's "Last Waltz", and many others that will be readily brought to mind; without
seeking to institute any comparison we might refer to one portion of the overture to Trovatore composed by Mr. Lavenu, in which the most
melancholy and plaintive strains are introduced - not suggested by the music of the opera - this, we believe, is one of his latest
compositions. Mr. Lavenu was much esteemed by his professional friends, many of whom watched over him during his last hours, for his kindliness
of manner, and the urbanity which always characterised his intercourse with them. It may not perhaps be deemed irrelevant to mention as a
somewhat singular circumstance, that Mr. C. S. Packer, who three years ago followed to the tomb the remains of his own master in the orchestral
branch of his studies at the Royal Academy of Music - the celebrated Bochsa - will, to-day, perform the same sad duty to one who was one of
his own earliest pupils in the same institution. The funeral of the deceased gentlemen is appointed to take place this afternoon at two
o'clock; and it is understood that besides his professional brethren - by whom he was sincerely respected - his remains will be followed to the
grave by members of the University and the Festival Committee. From his late residence the funeral cortege will proceed to Christchurch, where a
portion of the burial service will be read, and a short selection from
the oratorio of the Messiah sung; the body will then be conveyed to the
Cemetery at Newtown, to be placed beside the resting-place of the
greatest musical genius that ever came upon our shores - the Chevalier
Bocsha. Mr. Poole, out of respect to the deceased gentleman, has closed
the Prince of Wales Theatre for this evening, and we are requested to
state that, in consequence of the lamented and sudden death of Mr. Lavenu, the Band of the 12th Regiment will not perform in the Botanic Gardens this afternoon.

"A Christmas Eve's Adventure, AND WHAT CAME OF IT. A TRUE STORY (BY PAUL TWYFORD)", Nepean Times (23 December 1893), 2

... probably the better to show off the long hair saturated with grease or oil and turned under so as to form a roll low down on the neck.
This style of hair dressing was known as "The Lavenu curl," from a musical gentleman of that name who led the orchestra at the "old Vic." theatre, in Pitt-street.
The cabbage-tree mob were regular frequenters of the theatres, and Lavenu was a great favourite with them.
And they not only imitated his style of dressing his hair but they borrowed his well-known airs and whistled them in the streets.
Rough and quarrelsome as these fellows were they had a keen appreciation of music; thus their great admiration for Mr. Robert Farquharson, the great basso,
and later on the Howson family ...

Musical works / publications (before Australia)

The new opera entitled Loretta, a tale of Seville, in three acts ... the whole of the music composed by M. Lavenu; the libretto by Alfred Bunn, Esq. (London: printed and published by W. S. Johnson,
"Nassau Steam Press," 60, St. Martin's Lane, Charing Cross, London, [1846?]) [wordbook only]

An English version of The favourite, composed by Donizetti, written and adapted by Edward Fitzball; performed for the first time,
at the Princess Theatre, Melbourne, under the direction of Mr. L. Lavenu, who has arranged it expressly for this theatre (Melbourne: R. M. Abbott and Co., 1858)

Prince of Wales Theatre ... An English version of Il trovatore"; or, The gipsy's vengeance, a grand opera in four parts written and adapted by Charles Jeffreys;
to the music composed by Verdi; arranged expressly for this theatre by M. Lavenu (Sydney: Printed at the "Caxton" Printing Office, 1859)